Getting Ugly (14 page)

Now? Today? It’s a much different time.

Their time.

They didn’t leave the woods that day. No, after they gave Big Ugly’s message to Leon and the crew they hung around. They laid low and paid close attention. They watched Leon kill Cooper and take Big Ugly kicking and screaming to the proper law enforcement authorities. They studied Leon’s patterns, tracked the man, picked up the trail that lead them here to this perfect little island paradise.

The blonde reaches her love, Nike bag in hand. She wraps her arm around the brunet’s waist. “I’ve got the key to his room.”

“The storage shed?”

“Yup.” The blonde dangles the keychain. “Gotta be where he keeps the rest of it.”

They get lost in one another’s eyes. So much shared between them, so much endured. No words are needed. The blonde and brunet lock their finger together, holding hands as they walk along the sand watching the waves roll in.

Two winners in a world of so many losers.

Mike McCrary’s new crime thriller
REMO WENT ROGUE
is coming soon…

You can’t do a damn thing alone, so I’d like to thank the people who gave help and hope during this little fun and self-loathing writing life.

First, thanks to Elmore Leonard, Don Winslow, Stephen King, Chuck Palahniuk, Duane Swierczynski, Charlie Huston and Dennis Lehane. You don’t know me, but thank you for what you do. Thanks, in no particular order, to the following writers, bad-asses, good dudes and Book Gods: Blake Crouch, Allan Guthrie, John Rector, Peter Farris, Johnny Shaw and David Hale Smith. Thank you for talking books and the publishing world with me, even if you didn’t know you were doing it.

Big, massive, sloppy love to the good folks at MXN Entertainment for never wavering in their help and support over the years. Mason Novick…thank you doesn’t cover it, man.

Love and appreciation to my family and friends who have put up with me and my bullshit—you know who are. Thanks to Mom and Dad for not selling me for medical experiments, and last but not least, thank you to my beautiful wife and daughter. You have endured and embraced me during my bitter, cranky, moody and (let’s just fuckin’ say it) dark days. For that and for everything, every day…I love you.

Mike McCrary is a screenwriter who has worked with (or at least been in the same room with) the producers of several movies you’ve probably heard of, you may or may not have liked them, but you’re heard of them. His short fiction has appeared in
Out of the Gutter, Shotgun Honey
and
The Big Adios
.

Mike barely earned an Economics degree, somehow got an MBA, and has been a waiter, securities trader, dishwasher, investment manager, and an unpaid Hollywood intern. He’s quit corporate America, come back, been fired, been promoted, been fired, and currently writes stories about questionable people who make questionable decisions. He lives in Texas.  Keep up with Mike at
www.mikemccrary.com
or follow him @mcmccrary.